The goal of the MBRS-SCORE Program at The University of Texas Pan American is to help support the development of a research infrastructure of excellence in the biomedical sciences on our campus. The current program is designed to facilitate this process by requesting research funds to support the research endeavors of some of its most talented faculty, staff and student researchers. This SCORE application is bolstered by the number of subproject submissions, which more than doubled between 1997 and 2001. In this proposal twenty faculty members will be involved in seventeen subprojects. These investigators represent a record number of departmental involvement bringing together faculty from the departments of biology, chemistry, sociology, psychology, nursing, dietetics, economics, anthropology and engineering. Thus the SCORE program at UTPA will be addressing health problems from a broad and diverse perspective. Subprojects range in topic from basic research in the mechanism of anticarcinogenic effects of myristicin that may provide protection against cancer, novel synthesis of medicinal drugs via organometallic agents, toxicity of metabolism of chemical mixtures to broad social-behavioral concerns affecting health policy and the interaction of social and biological factors that influence health outcomes and represent critical avenues for treatment and prevention. Moreover, a primary objective of the proposed SCORE application is to increase the number of underrepresented groups participating in the biomedical sciences. This will be accomplished by expanding the opportunities for underrepresented researchers and students, mostly Hispanic (Latino), and by fostering an engaging research culture on campus that will promote quality graduate education in South Texas. Our geographical location and our high Hispanic enrollment with many of our students of a migrant-farmwork background provide us with all the necessary requisites to sucessfully fulIfill this endeavor.